Article straightening machine



Dec. 23, 1952 FRANK 2,622,654

ARTICLE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE I Filed Nov. 13, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR aAfRA/wv A f TORNEV Dec. 23, 1952 FRANK 2,622,654

ARTICLE STRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed Nov. 13, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2/NVENTOR 6.14. FRANK By WM AiroR/vsv Dec. 23, 1952 e. A. FRANK ARTICLESTRAIGHTENING MACHINE Filed Nov. 13, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 //v VENTORG.A. HM NK ATi'ORNEY Patented Dec. 23, 1952 ARTICLE STRAIGHTENINGMACHINE Gerard A. Frank, Allentown, Pa., assignor to Western ElectricCompany, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication November 13, 1950, Serial No. 195,345

This invention relates to apparatus for straightening bent cylindricalarticles and more particularly to apparatus for straightening lead wireas semblies for vacuum tube stems.

In certain types of vacuum tube structures, lead assemblies are composedof short lengths of small diameter wires interposed between andbuttwelded to longer lengths of wires of larger diameters. Frequently,these leads or wire assemblies become bent during handling, and thebends in the leads almost invariably occur in the wire of the smallestdiameter. It is therefore necessary that these leads be straightenedbefore they are assembled in the vacuum tube structure.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is simple instructure yet highly efficient in straightening bent cylindricalarticles such as vacuum tube leads.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises anapparatus for straightening bent cylindrical articles including a meansto cause rotation of a straight portion of a cylindrical article aboutits axis and an aligning member disposed at a given position relative tothe axis of the straight portion of the article to be engaged by a bentportion thereof to bend it into axial alignment with the straightportion.

In the present embodiment of the invention, spaced Wheels are providedwith aligned notches to loosely receive the ends of the straight portionof the article and cause it to move in a given path relative to a fixedresilient element so that a drum interposed between the wheels anddriven at a faster speed will cause the straight portion of the articleto rotate about its axis. The intermediate and outer portions of thecylindrical article or lead extend free of the wheels and are caused tomove in a somewhat conical path, depending upon the degree of bend inthe intermediate portion. An arcuate aligning member is adjustablypositioned relative to the wheels and drum so that the outer portion ofthe article will engage the member to effectively straighten the articlemoving the outer portions thereof into axial alignment with the straightportion carried by the wheels.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the apparatus; 1

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of Fig.1; and

4 Claims. (01. 153-32) Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the articlesillustrating how they may be bent.

Referring now to the drawings, attention is first directed to Fig. 4,illustrating an article I0 which in the present embodiment of theinvention is composed of a central wire member H of a small diameterinterposed between longer wire members l2 and M of larger diameters. Itis apparent that during handling of the articles of this type anytendency to bend the articles would result in the bend occurring at theweakest portion which obviously is in the central portion or wire H.

The apparatus for straightening this cylindrical article or wireassembly includes spaced wheels l6 and H fixedly mounted on a driveshaft l8 and spaced a given distance apart, depending upon the length ofthe portion [-2 of the article. The wheels [6 and I! have alignednotches 20 and 2| disposed at spaced positions about their periphery toreceive the articles l0 successively from a hopper 22. The shaft I8 isdriven at a given speed in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1) todrive the wheels I3 and l! in the same direction. A drum 23 isinterposed between .the wheels l6 and I! and supported for rotation uponthe shaft I8. Means is provided to drive the drum at a faster rate ofspeed than the wheels, this means including a gear 24 mounted upon aframe 25 and interengaging a pinion 23 supported by and fixed to theouter end of a shaft 21. The shaft is journalled in a bearing 28 formedin the Wheel H and has a larger pinion 29 fixedly mounted on the innerend thereof. The pinion 29 interengages a ring gear 30 secured to thedrum 23 and disposed concentric with the axis of the shaft 18. Alocating ring 32 fixed to the wheel I! serves as a stop for the articlesIll locating them within their respective notches 29 and 21.

A bracket 35 has an .arcuate portion 33 partially conforming to thewheels I6 and H and the drum 23 to extend partially around theseelements of the apparatus. A stationary element 31 fixed to the innersurface of the portion 36 is formed of a resilient material such assponge rubber with its inner surface 38 partially conforming to butspaced from the periphery of the drum 23. An aligning member is arcuatein general contour with the exception of its upper end 4| which isstraight and may be described as the entrance end of the aligningmemberz'Th'emember 40 is L shapedin cross section providing 35 by sets ofscrews 44 and 45.

The screws 45 extend through the member 46 and into threaded aperturesin the portion 35, providing a positive connection between the memberand the portion of the bracket 35 while the screws 44 are disposed inthreaded apertures in the arcuate portion 38 and arranged to abutagainst the inner surfaceof the member 40 to hold the member eitheragainst the portion 35 or at a selected distance from the portion of thebracket to adjust the position of the arcuate edge 42 relative to thecontrolling or gripping surface of the drum and the stationary element31. A tray 48 or any suitable receptacle may be positioned beneaththe'wheels I6 and H and the drum 23-to receive-the straightened articles.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus, let it be assumed thatthe power means for driving the shaft [8 is energized and that thearticles l are fed to the hopper 22 so that they will drop singly intothenotches Hand 21 of the wheels l6 and l-T as. these notches areadvanced beneath the-arbor. The wheels IB- and [1, including theirnotches, serve as positive means for moving the cylindrical articles ina given'circular path; The. resilient or stationary element 31 forcesthe-adjacentportion of. each article into close engagement with'theperiphery of'the drum 23 so that they articles will be caused to rotateabout the axes of theirstraightportions 12. The drum thereforeassures'accurate positioning of the axes of the portions I2 of eacharticle with respect to the straightening member 40.

While the Wheels l6 and. I! are-rotatedat a given speed in a:counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1'), the pinion 28. travels around thegear 24 and is caused to rotate at a certain speed to rotate the. shaft21 and the larger'pinion. 29at the same speed'sothat the'ring gearSlliandthe drum 23 are driven counterclockwise (Fig. 1) at twice" the speedthat the wheels" I6. and: I! are travelling. This results in rotation ofthe articles as they move relative to the aligning element Ml. Rotation.of the straight portion l2 of each article about its axis will cause'theother portions H and M to' move in a' conical path depending upon thedegree of 'bendin each article, and for this reason, the portion 4| ofthe straightening member extends beyond the peripheries ofv the wheelsso that regardless of the bendini each article, the portions i4 thereofwill: engage the. member and be straightened thereby'during rotation. ofthe articles as they move by the straightening member. After thearticles pass thestraightening member and the end of the stationaryelement 31, they are re leasedand allowed to drop into the tray 48.

It isto beunderstood that the above described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other. arrangements may be" readily devised by those skilled inthe art'which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the: spirit and scope thereof;

Whatisclaimed is:

1. An: apparatus for: straightening bent cy lindrical articlescomprising a a s tationary element having an article engaging surface, amovable element: having an article engaging surface positioned a. givendistance from the surface of the'stationary element depending upon thediameters of given portions of the articles fed therebetween, means tofeed like portions of cylindrical articles singly between the surfacesof the elements, means to move the movable element relative to thestationary element to cause the portions of the articles to rotationabout their axis while they roll in a given path, and a member having asurface disposed in substantial alignment with the surface of'one of theelements to be engaged by outwardly projecting portions of the articlesto cause straightening of the articles as'the gripped portions rollbetween the surfaces of the elements.

2; An. apparatus for straightening bent cylindricalarticles comprisingspaced wheels having aligned notches to receive straight portions ofcylindrical articles, a drum interposed between the wheels and having anouter surface to engage the straight portions of the articles, means torotate the wheels simultaneously to move the articles in a given path, astationary element to hold the straight portions of the articles againstthe surface of'the'drum', means to rotate the drum" at a: speeddifierent than the speed of the wheels to cause rotation. of thestraight portions of 'the articles about their axes, and an aligningmember disposed at a givenposition' relative to the surface of the drumto be engaged by bent portions of the articles to bend them into axialalignment with the straightportions thereof;

3; An apparatus for straightening bent cylindrical articles comprising amember having an aligning surface disposed at a given' position", meansto move a straight portion of a cylindrical article in a'given pathparall'el'with and adjacent the aligning surface, andrelatively'movable-elements to receive the straight portion of" thearticle therebetween and" cause rotation of that portion of" the articleabout its axis whereby a bent portion of'the' article will engage thealigning surface and'be bent therebyinto alignment with the straightportion.

4. An apparatus for straightening bent cylindrical articles comprising amember having an aligning surface disposed at a given position, means tomove a straight portionof a cylindrical article in a given path parallelwith and adjacent to the aligning surface, a first element having asurface to be engaged by a straight portion of a cylindrical article andlocate its axis in the path relative tothe aligning-member; and a'resilient element to hold the straight portion of'the article in closeengagement with the" first element to cause rotation of' that portionof'the' article about its axis whereby a bent portion of the articlewill engage the aligning surface and be bent thereby into alignmentwith-the" straight portion.

GERARD A. FRANK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecordin' the.

file of-thispatent':

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 934,429 Davies Sept. 21, 1909"1,182,658 Dolles May 9'. 1916 1,071,945 Moon Sept. 2; 1913 2,334,004Herzog Nov. 9, 1943 2,550,842 McClure May 1, 1.951

